I wake. A woman’s voice, as clear as Piper’s singing.
Annabeth froze. ‘Oh, that’s not good.’
‘It’s like Tartarus,’ Percy said, his voice edgy. ‘You remember … his heartbeat. When he appeared –’
‘Don’t,’ Annabeth said. ‘Just don’t.’
‘Sorry.’ In the light of his sword, Percy’s face was like a large firefly – a hovering, momentary smudge of brightness in the dark.
The voice of Gaia spoke again, louder: At last.
Piper’s singing wavered.
Fear washed over her, as it had in the Spartan temple. But the gods Phobos and Deimos were old friends to her now. She let the fear burn inside her like fuel, making her voice even stronger. She sang for the snake people, for her friends’ safety. Why not for Gaia, too?
Finally they reached the top of a steep slope, where the path ended in a curtain of green goo.
Kekrops faced the demigods. ‘Beyond this camouflage is the Acropolis. You must remain here. I will check that your way is clear.’
‘Wait.’ Piper turned to address the crowd of gemini. ‘There is only death above. You will be safer in the tunnels. Hurry back. Forget you saw us. Protect yourselves.’
The fear in her voice channelled perfectly with the charmspeak. The snake people, even the guards, turned and slithered into the darkness, leaving only the king.
‘Kekrops,’ Piper said, ‘you’re planning to betray us as soon as you step through that goo.’
‘Yes,’ he agreed. ‘I will alert the giants. They will destroy you.’ Then he hissed. ‘Why did I tell you that?’
‘Listen to the heartbeat of Gaia,’ Piper urged. ‘You can sense her rage, can’t you?’
Kekrops wavered. The end of his staff glowed dimly. ‘I can, yes. She is angry.’
‘She’ll destroy everything,’ Piper said. ‘She’ll reduce the Acropolis to a smoking crater. Athens – your city – will be utterly destroyed, your people along with it. You believe me, don’t you?’
‘I – I do.’
‘Whatever hatred you have for humans, for demigods, for Athena, we are the only chance to stop Gaia. So you will not betray us. For your own sake, and your people, you will scout the territory and make sure the way is clear. You will say nothing to the giants. Then you will return.’
‘That is … what I’ll do.’ Kekrops disappeared through the membrane of goo.
Annabeth shook her head in amazement. ‘Piper, that was incredible.’
‘We’ll see if it works.’ Piper sat down on the cool stone floor. She figured she might as well rest while she could.
The others squatted next to her. Percy handed her a canteen of water.
Until she took a drink, Piper hadn’t realized how dry her throat was. ‘Thanks.’
Percy nodded. ‘You think the charm will last?’
‘I’m not sure,’ she admitted. ‘If Kekrops comes back in two minutes with an army of giants, then no.’
The heartbeat of Gaia echoed through the floor. Strangely, it made Piper think of the sea – how the waves boomed along the cliffs of Santa Monica back home.
She wondered what her father was doing right now. It would be the middle of the night in California. Maybe he was asleep, or doing a late-night TV interview. Piper hoped he was in his favourite spot: the porch off the living room, watching the moon over the Pacific, enjoying some quiet time. Piper wanted to think he was happy and content right now … in case they failed.
She thought about her friends in the Aphrodite cabin at Camp Half-Blood. She thought about her cousins in Oklahoma, which was odd, since she’d never spent much time with them. She didn’t even know them very well. Now she was sorry about that.
She wished she’d taken more advantage of her life, appreciated things more. She would always be grateful for her family aboard the Argo II – but she had so many other friends and relatives she wished she could see one last time.
‘Do you guys ever think about your families?’ she asked.
It was a silly question, especially on the cusp of a battle. Piper should have been focused on their quest, not distracting her friends.
But they didn’t chide her.
Percy’s gaze became unfocused. His lower lip quivered. ‘My mom … I – I haven’t even seen her since Hera made me disappear. I called her from Alaska. I gave Coach Hedge some letters to deliver to her. I …’ His voice broke. ‘She’s all I’ve got. Her and my stepdad, Paul.’
‘And Tyson,’ Annabeth reminded him. ‘And Grover. And –’
‘Yeah, of course,’ Percy said. ‘Thanks. I feel much better.’